| Summary : A Second World War Chain Home radar station. It was originally established in 1936 as a single tower transmitter only site, one of five Estuary Home layout stations, providing long range early warning of high flying enemy aircraft for the Thames estuary and the southeast approaches to London. In 1937 it was upgraded to a transmitter/receiver station with the addition of eight new towers. The station was enclosed within an rectangular compond defended by 3 metre high spiked steel railings and an outer flanking ditch. The internal layout follows a design standard to all East Coast stations, two rectangular buildings with blast protection known as the Receiver and Transmitter blocks. The Transmitter block had a line of four group III transmitter towers. The Receiver block also had four towers housing the receiver system. Two underground buildings contained reserve transmitter and receiver equipment. From September 1939 the site was given anti-aircraft provision, gun emplacements and pill boxes. In 1940 during the Battle of Britain it lay within RAF Fighter Command's vital 11 Group sector and it provided long range early warning of enemy attacks along the Thmaes Estuary and the south-eastern approaches to London during the battle. Following the war the station was one of 32 stations used in Operation Rotor, the first phase of restoration of Britain's air defence control and reporting system. The site was technically restored and remodelled in the early 1950s, but was closed by 1958 and all but one of the transmitter towers were demolished. |
More information : A Second World War Chain Home radar station. It was originally established in 1936 as a single tower transmitter only site, one of five Estuary Home layout stations, providing long range early warning of high flying enemy aircraft for the Thames estuary and the southeast approaches to London. In 1937 it was upgraded to a transmitter/receiver station with the addition of eight new towers. The station was enclosed within an rectangular compond defended by 3 metre high spiked steel railings and an outer flanking ditch. The internal layout follows a design standard to all East Coast stations, two rectangular buildings with blast protection known as the Receiver and Transmitter blocks. The Transmitter block had a line of four group III transmitter towers. The Receiver block also had four towers housing the receiver system. Two under ground buildings contained reserve transmitter and receiver equipment. From September 1939 the site was given anti-aircraft provision, gun emplacements and pill boxes. Following the war the station was one of 32 stations used in Operation Rotor, the first phase of restoration of Britain's air defence control and reporting system, but was closed by 1958 and all but one of the transmitter towers were demolished. (1)
Description. (2)
The Rotor programme was developed to advance the wartime radar technology in detecting and locating fast-flying jets. It was approved by the Air Council in June 1950. The first phase of the programme, Rotor 1, was to technically restore existing Chain Home, centrimetric early warning, Chain Home Extra Low and Ground Controlled Interception stations and put them under the control of RAF Fighter Command. There were three main components to the Rotor stations: the technical site, including the radars, operation blocks and other installations; the domestic site, where personnel were accommodated; and the stand-by set house, a reserve power supply. The technical site for Dunkirk Rotor station is located at TR 076 595. The domestic site was located at TR 085 585 (see HOB UID 1487466). (3-5)
Aerial photography from 1969 shows a compact radar site was virtually all of its component parts still present. The receiver block is in good condition at TR 0756 5950, complete with earth mound and protected entrance. The receiver block also has all its accompanying aerial bases (4x4). The stand-by set house is well preserved with earth mound present at TR 0960 5930. The transmission block, also with earth mound, is in extremely good condition at TR 0976 5914. This block also has its full complement of aerial bases (4x4) present. One of these base sets also has its original steel transmitting tower present. Three extra aerial base sets (emergency transmitter and receiver) are visible at TR 0788 5940. There are also attached ancillary buildings in the immediate area. A guardhouse/quarters are in good condition immediately to the west of these extra bases. Four pillboxes survive at the original perimeter line. The remains of several ancillary buildings (bases and upstanding structures) are clearly visible. The general layout of the site remains, but its immediate western edge has houses built on it (though minimal encroachment on to the fabric of the site itself). (6)
A chain home station also known as RAF Dunkirk. In 1940 during the Battle of Britain it lay within RAF Fighter Command's vital 11 Group sector and it provided long range early warning of enemy attacks along the Thmaes Estuary and the south-eastern approaches to London during the battle (7) |